ON THURSDAY, April 7, Jalal Talabani was sworn in as Iraq's interim president. This week, his government plans to fill the remaining Cabinet positions, most importantly the defense minister, who will help coordinate the transition of security responsibilities from U.S. to Iraqi forces. These events show the tremendous steps on Iraq's road to democracy. Yet at the same time, other events show there is still much to be done. Just this Monday, American Jeffrey Ake was kidnapped by Iraqi insurgency forces -- forces who are receiving more and more outside influence and assistance to continue their movement. The United States and its allies must stay the course, therefore, and ensure that Iraq will be truly safe for democracy before fully withdrawing.
Iraq is well on its way towards becoming a strong and respected democracy. After its liberation from Saddam Hussein, Iraq witnessed a rebirth of its government as foreign aid and advisers have poured into the beleaguered nation. Since the end of combat operations, U.S. forces and contractors have rebuilt schools, roads and other infrastructure as well as invigorating commerce and maintaining order to set the stage for Iraqi self-governance. Though critics on all sides have attacked President Bush for supposedly lacking a post-war plan, the immense progress that has been made vindicates him.
In electing a Kurdish leader as president, the members of Iraqi parliament have shown their commitment to freedom and democracy. As the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies says, "In what other predominately Arab country could a member of an oppressed and persecuted minority group serve as head of state?"
In the process of setting up his government and attempting to stabilize the country, Talabani has offered an amnesty to the insurgency fighters and has called for them to join the national government. According to CNN.com, Talabani also predicts that "two years should be enough time for Iraqi forces to rebuild and secure control of the country as well as take over the job currently being performed by some 140,000 U.S. troops." Indeed, even now, U.S. allies are beginning to withdraw their forces -- Poland for instance, announced on Tuesday that it would pull its forces out of Iraq by the end of 2005.
Nonetheless, throughout all of this, Iraqi security remains the problem of the hour. Almost daily, U.S. and Iraqi forces are attacked by insurgents, and U.S. citizens and Iraqis aiding Americans are kidnapped, threatened and even killed. According to CNN.com, there are "between 13,000 and 17,000 insurgents in Iraq" who continue their assaults despite Talabani's attempts to bring them into the national civic society. The big question is of course: why?
As Amy Ridenour of National Center for Public Policy Research (and a U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq) said, "Baghdadis poured out to thank us and support us" after her battalion's help in rebuilding the city. How, when the average Iraqi is grateful for U.S. aid and assistance, are these insurgent groups able to operate and survive? The answer, according to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, is quite simple: Iraqis are not the problem. Instead, "foreign terrorists appear to be responsible for a disproportionately large share of significant attacks and mass murders," and "Terrorists and insurgents in Iraq, both Ba'athists and foreign jihadis, have been receiving considerable support from foreign governments."
This makes sense, for how else could such terrorist groups survive, much less operate, within a largely unsympathetic population that has proven itself to be actively working towards self-rule? Though these foreign terrorists are small in number, it is they who are providing much of the impetus and material that keeps the movement going. Iraqis, in general, welcome U.S. support and aid, whereas the resistance is led, supplied and continued by outside influences. It is these foreign terrorists and the influences behind them who must be dealt with before the United States and its allies can depart, therefore, as local forces are as yet too small and too under-trained to cope with them.
As the liberator of Iraq, the United States has a duty to make sure it leaves behind a secure Iraqi nation that will be able to self-govern and that will not fall into the anarchy and chaos of civil war. Though tremendous leaps and bounds have been taken along this path, the United States and its allies must not withdraw too soon. Foreign influences that are keeping the insurgency movement alive must be hunted down and removed, as they have no place in an Iraq for Iraqis. The United States has acted nobly in freeing and rebuilding Iraq, but it must stay the course. Only with a truly safe and secure Iraq can stable democracy be achieved.
Allan Cruickshanks' column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at acruickshanks@cavalierdaily.com.
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